The forecast is for a new wave of frigid temperatures and possible snow!

While pets may enjoy a romp in the snow, it is important to limit their time outside in cold weather.

Even though some breeds may have thick fur, in our wet climate, they may get soaked and suffer hypothermia. Think about it - hypothermia is defined as a condition in which the body loses heat faster than it can produce heat to maintain a safe body temperature. For many breeds, that can happen quickly in cold and wet conditions.

There are also other hazards for pets during cold weather. Pets can get frostbite on their ears, nose, the tips of their tails, or on their paws. Ice and chemicals can also cause injury to a pet's paws or underside - from dried out pads and skin to cuts from sharp ice shards to irritation from ice-melting chemicals. Pets can also become sick from licking rock salt or de-icing chemicals off their paws.

Domestic and farm animals that must be outside of a house or heated shelter for any length of time need proper shelter from the wind, rain, and snow. They also need a reliable source of water that will not freeze. For dogs, the best option is to keep them indoors or in a heated shelter except for limited walks. The Humane Society of the United States goes so far as to advise cat owners to never let cats outside at all during frigid temperatures even if they are allowed to roam at other times of the year.

Finally, people should be aware that both feral and domestic cats, as well as small wild animals or even small farm animals (such as chickens) may crawl up into the wheel-wells or engine compartments of cars, trucks, and farm machinery in order to get off the frozen ground and to take advantage of heat coming off a parked vehicle.

Dinny
and Winny are 13 year old sisters that were surrendered to the shelter
just before Christmas due to their owners having to move. They have been
together pretty much their entire lives, and they enjoyed a quiet home
where they could be both indoors and out (they are both litterbox trained). They are both spayed, current on vaccinations, and have tested
negative for FeLV/FIV.

Santa had such a great time with the animals at our November Santa picture shoot in Sedro-Woolley that he will be returning to us! The second photo shoot for pets will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2016 from 11am to 3pm. If you missed him last time, join us at the shelter for this second chance!

For a suggested donation of $15, your package includes either one printed photo
with a festive cardstock frame and envelope OR the opportunity to take several pictures with your cellphone or camera that you can email or upload to your favorite
social media site.

For a suggested donation of $15, your package includes one printed photo
with a festive cardstock frame and mailing envelope. Or, if you prefer,
a cellphone picture that you can snap and email or upload to your favorite
social media site.
Santa has posed with dogs, cats, rabbits, small birds, chickens, and
goats (OK, just one goat so far!). We are willing to give it a try with
any species that won't actually eat Santa. Please give us a call ahead
of time if you need special arrangements for your animal.

Skagit Humane would like to thank the fine folks at Dwayne Lane's Skagit Subaru and those of you who came out to donate pet supplies. Special thanks to Cora Leach, Marketing Assistant for Dwayne Lane's Auto Family, for her support of this even.

The Clayton Award recognizes individuals for their dedication and effort toward helping animals in our community.

Robyn
gives a great deal of her time to helping animals. She is currently working solo with SPOT's Trap, Neuter, and Release Program to help feral cats get spayed or neutered, spending many hours traveling
and helping our community and the feral cat population through her efforts.

Skagit Humane will be providing day care kennel services for those who need to visit with vendors at the Community Action Agency at the
Project Homeless 2016 Connect at Skagit Valley College. Services available from 9 am to 2:30 pmFriday September 9th.

Recently, Skagit Humane received a grant from the ASPCA Relocation Team to help us with the costs associated with moving high risk animals from shelters in Los Angeles to our facility. We are grateful for the ongoing support we have received through ASPCA grants over the years. We value the partnerships we have with the ASPCA, Wings of Rescue, and other shelters and humane societies in our community and even in other countries. For more information on a recent partnership, also see our post entitled Rescuing Animals in Partnership with Wings of Rescue and the ASPCA

An explanation of the ASPCA grant from the ASPCA Professional website states:

Special Opportunity for ASPCA LA Relocation Destination Partners

The ASPCA Relocation Team supports nonprofit organizations and public
agencies dedicated to the safe, humane, and efficient relocation of
animals to help increase lives saved.

To encourage the relocation of higher-risk animals from Los Angeles
to areas where they have more opportunities to be adopted, the ASPCA is
providing incentive subsidies for higher-risk animals received by ASPCA
Los Angeles Relocation Partner destination shelters.

We are grateful for this support, and we are proud to partner with the ASPCA to help save lives!

The Humane Society of the United Statesprovides two great resources on their website with regard to human / wild animal interactions.

This page is designed to assist people who encounter baby animals that appear to be abandoned and want to help them.

And, with their Wild Neighbors
tool, the HSUS provides advice to help people deal with conflicts with wild
animals (everything from mice and birds to bears) in or around their homes in a humane yet effective manner.

We are looking for people interested in fostering kittens until they are old enough for adoption. If you are interested, please note that you must be Skagit county residents and that you must come to the shelter to apply. Not everyone who applies will be selected, but if you are, you will need to be prepared to foster as the need arises. Come see us, or email or call for more information.

I was a little taken aback when I saw this "training collar" on a special offer at one of my favorite online shopping sites. As always, I launched into research to try to get a clearer understanding of why such a thing exists. I expected to find polarized views in favor and against the use of what I would call correction collars. Surprisingly, I found that, even on sites and forums on which people contended that these could be used effectively, they almost always warned of the dangers associated with an untrained person trying to use one of these and of common circumstances that could result in injury to the animal. Likewise, they noted that the use of correction collars is complicated, as dogs may associate the pain inflicted not with their behavior, but with the environment, other animals, and even people, which can actually result in aggressive and/or fearful behavior in your dog. If you are considering using something like this with your dog, please consider that there are much safer and humane ways to elicit appropriate behavior from your pet.

Animals make wonderful companions for people who live alone. A special pet can bring joy and comfort to its owner. However, it is very sad when an owner passes away or can no longer provide care for a pet, and the pet is brought to an animal shelter. Often, these animals are used to quiet homes, and they may be older and have health issues. The animals will often be frightened and depressed by the sudden change in their life, which makes them appear less adoptable to many visitors to the shelter.

Camrin is a true friend to the animals supported by Skagit Humane. Recently, he had a birthday party, but instead of gifts, he asked his
friends to bring dog and cat food to donate to our shelter. These donations will help needy families and their pets. Here's a
picture of him and the donations he dropped off. Thank you, Camrin!

About the Shelter

Construction Detour in Effect

Heading North Bound I5 get off the Bow Hill Exit, from off ramp make a right and head East past the light and go down Bow Hill Road to Old Hwy 99. There you will take a Right and go South bound on Old Hwy 99 aprox 2 miles take a Left on to Kelleher Road and Humane Society of Skagit Valley is on your left.

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